All Spooks Eve
by XandyPants
Summary: Halloween in Skylands is certainly an event to remember! A portal master appreciation one shot.


**_Alright.  
This is a small thank you gift to those who have expressed interest in helping me with the project that I have in the works. It focuses on the portal masters, but there are skylanders present.  
Hopefully you enjoy my rabbles.  
Shoot me a message if you're interested in joining us._**

* * *

 **All Spooks Eve**  
 **-Night of the Undead-**

Looking at herself in the mirror the young woman couldn't help but grin as her eyes wandered up and down the reflective surface. She knew she looked good and she couldn't stop staring. Everything about her appearance had been done just so to achieve a certain look. Her shoulder length ebony hair had been pulled into two high pigtails, her fair skin had been further paled to appear as flawless as porcelain and her lips had been stained blood red with a small trickle of colour leaking from both corners of her mouth. Her eyes were hidden behind lifeless blue contacts that made them appear to be glass, one of which looked to be cracked. Small chips and cracks had been painted onto her face, neck and arms by fellow portal master Seraph, who had also helped Prowess acquire the clothing she currently wore, a torn rockabilly style blue and white striped dress with red highlighting the edges of the tears. Ripped black and white stockings, also splattered with red hugged her legs flatteringly as they dived down into a pair of well loved, black leather grunge boots. The look was completed with a large pull cord and sound box fastened to Prowess' back by a belt secured around her torso. The cord itself poked out through a specially made opening in the back of the dress, and when pulled the sound box would emit the sound of a child's laughter or creepy music often associated with dolls.

Admiring herself one final time, Prowess turned to leave her bedroom, stepping over a rather large pile of clothing she had yet to find the enthusiasm to wash, she flicked the light off with a flamboyant wrist movement and smirked. Oh yes, tonight would be fun. She would certainly have to thank Seraph for her help. It had been her idea after all to dress the Undead portal master as a porcelain doll after discovering Adam's fear of them. Poor Adam, one look at her would probably reduce him to tears, something she knew she would laugh about and then feel guilty over for the rest of the night, although she'd never actually let on that she felt guilty. She was stubborn like that.  
Going over her final checklist before leaving, ensuring that she had her keys and phone, the Undead portal master closed the door to her cabin behind her and made her way towards the Core of Light where the celebrations were to be held.  
To coincide with Halloween from Earth, Master Eon had decided to name that day as Undead Appreciation Day, and rather than being offended by the human tradition of dressing as monsters, the Undead skylanders had welcomed it, finding amusement in the imagination of the portal masters. Many had also commented on how at ease they felt on the new shared holiday, with the portal masters dressing up as they did, no one felt out of place or ashamed of their appearance. It had become the most popular holiday for skylanders and portal masters alike.  
Prowess felt especially bubbly today, the good mood of the Undead skylanders had been infectious. Even the most sullen of their element had been all smiles.

"Hey Prow!" The Undead portal master halted and turned as her name was called. With a smile she raised her hand to wave to the woman fast approaching her. Aeris grinned and quickened her pace to join the other as they made their way towards the core. From what she could see of the Earth portal master, Prowess had no doubts about her choice in costume. If the sandy coloured fur ears poking out from her hair on the top of her head wasn't enough, Aeris also had a tail of matching colour and the clothing that she wore was ripped and torn. Her strawy blond hair had been left loose. She had frizzed and matted it to give herself an unkempt look with grass and twigs thrown into the mix just for fun. She wore her usual hiking boots but had ditched her signature cowboy hat for the night. Make up had been applied to the horizontal scar below her right eye to make it seem fresh and grizzly.  
"You look feral," Prowess eyed her openly before the faintest hint of a grin twitched her lips. She rolled her green eyes dramatically when Aeris flashed her a wicked grin, exposing the false fangs she was wearing. "You're one to talk Prowess. I think that look is an improvement for you."  
Aeris stumbled to the side as Prow shoved her away playfully. She quickly re-balanced herself and fell back into step with the slightly taller woman. They could already see the glow from the Core cutting through the falling darkness. It was like a beacon and the pair hurried to join the others setting up before the main event began.

When they arrived the area immediately surrounding the Core was a hive of activity. Last minute decorations were being placed, large tables were being assembled as fast as possible while a constant stream of Skylanders and portal masters alike were covering them with plates, bowls and jugs just as quickly. Mock cobwebs had been draped over most of the area and large bones jutted precariously up from the ground to fence off the area while a strange mist rolled lazily across the ground and swirled around busy feet when disturbed. The effect of the entire scene was stunning and reminded Prowess somewhat of the Thriller music video. If that song did not play at some point tonight accompanied by the cliched dance then she would be most seriously disappointed.

"Whoa," Aeris sighed as she took everything in with her mouth slightly agape. "Who was in charge of planning? They certainly are….dedicated, for lack of a better word."  
Prowess snorted and rolled her eyes. "Seraph."  
"Why am I not surprised?" Aeris rolled her eyes. She flinched and backhanded someone to her right when her arm was pinched.

"Play nice," Jago chuckled and rubbed his stinging hand as he watched those setting up for tonight scampering around. "She's gone through a lot of trouble to make tonight fun." In the dying sunlight the white skull tattooed over his face was almost glowing against his sickly greenish grey skin. He had appropriately decided to be a ghoul tonight, making use of his every day features to bring the rest of his costume to life. Blank white contacts hid his eyes and gave him a lifeless stare while claw-like false nails had been glued over his real fingernails. Natural ebony locks had been ruffled and left unkempt, pairing perfectly with his surgically implanted fangs and altered ears to give him a beast like appearance. On the best of days Jago was isolated by his appearance, but tonight it made for a perfect costume. Prowess found herself impressed and silently wondered if her fellow Undead portal master had altered himself just for Halloween while he had still been on Earth. Hell, if she had been old enough before she left she probably would have had a few things done herself.  
Jago wore a torn white shirt that had once buttoned up at the front. He had slashed and mangled it to render it almost unrecognizable. It hung limply over his exposed chest that had been covered in scars and gashes. Nobody knew how many were real and how many were fake as Jago was not usually one to expose flesh like that. A pair of khaki coloured cargo pants held snugly to his hips, bound in place by a rope belt that had an assortment of bones and skulls dangling from it. They rattled and bumped with each step the Undead portal master took. The Khaki pants were ripped and shredded just past his knees exposing his shins and calves, and although going barefoot would have complimented his costume wonderfully, Jago had opted for a pair of old, well loved sneakers that were littered with holes from constant use.

"You look good, Jay!" Aeris shifted beside him with a smile before deciding to step out into the chaos."You two have a good night now! I'll see you a bit later. I can smell coffee and I'm just dying for a cup." Prowess rolled her eyes but waved Aeris goodbye before deciding to track down something to help with. Jago seemed similarly distracted by the crowd, but unlike Prowess he seemed lost. She had never heard anyone refer to him as 'Jay' before, not even Seraph who he seemed the most comfortable around. He was not a social man and she couldn't blame him, she wasn't much of a socialite either.  
"You alright, 'Jay'?" He gave her a pointed look and she snickered at him.  
"Do not," he warned as he pointed a clawed finger at her.

"JAGO! PROW! Awesome! I could use a hand!"  
Looking around, Prowess wasn't surprised to spot Seraph running towards them from the depth of the crowd, a stupid grin plastered over her face. She looked completely different from 2 hours ago when she had been helping Prow with her makeup, since that kind of stuff really wasn't her thing. Her naturally pale skin had been turned a sickly mort grey, and shadow had been added to her face to leave her looking gaunt and sunken. The Light portal master had acquired clouded contacts to further the illusion of being dead. Leaving her hair down and allowing it to tangle and rat, Seraph had also added bits of gore here and there. A false finger tangled in her blonde hair, blood spattered her oversized clothing as it hung from her lean frame and gore framed her mouth. She had applied false wounds to her face, neck and chest. Gashes, decay and peeling flesh also decorated her arms and any other areas of exposed flesh. Her right arm also had a particularly nasty looking bite that was probably meant to be the site she herself had been bitten and had turned from.  
"Well don't you just look a scream." Seraph chuckled at Prow's comment and did a flamboyant turn before them to show off her costume.  
"Adam thought he was being funny by assigning me one of the biggest cliches he could think of, but he underestimated my love of dressing up. You should have seen his face when he saw me."  
"That'll teach him," Prow snickered. Jago, who had remained quiet, was running a critical eye over Seraph's costume.  
"You've done well," he finally muttered. "The two sizes too big clothing was a nice touch. It really makes you seem like you're starved." Seraph gave an awkward chuckle at what she assumed was supposed to be a compliment, and considering the look she had been going for, she took at as one. It took only a moment for Jago to realize what he had said and how it had sounded for him to apologize. "Oh, shit. I'm sorry. That came out wrong. What I mean was that you've done really well with your costume."

Seraph held her hand up to silence him with an understanding smile. "Thank you Jago. I quite like yours too. It really compliments the skull tattoo."

Prowess pulled at face at the two and used the conversation as her distraction to slip away. She felt a little bad for leaving seeing as Seraph had asked for help but any more compliments and she would vomit. Surely Jago was strong enough for whatever she needed them for and if not well that was just too bad. There was bound to be something she could find to do before the real party started. Perhaps Adam needed her help. With a nod to herself the Undead portal master set off to find her friend.

* * *

Stepping off the stone ringed base of the Master Portal was never an easy task for Taylor. With the room still spinning the Tech affiliated portal master needed a moment to steady himself before leaving the catacombs that honeycombed throughout much of Eon's island. Leaning against the wall he closed his eyes and sucked in a few deep breaths to calm his racing heart. A soft chuckle to his left enticed him to open his eyes again to look for the source. He was not surprised to see Sophia with a hand over her mouth struggling to contain herself. The blonde Water portal master was, in his opinion, a walking cliche of every 'surfer girl' ever. Her hair was always perfect, she never left her house without her makeup on, and her mind was so one tracked it wasn't funny. Clothes, hair, makeup and boys were all she had in her head, he was certain of it. He wasn't even sure if she could surf. He had never seen her at the beach. Nevertheless Taylor gave her a forced smile and a courtesy wave as he pushed away from the wall. She had brought him into skylands tonight so he owed it to her to be somewhat polite.  
Sophia grinned and returned the wave. Her deep ocean blue eyes seemed sharper tonight and her grin far more sinister than usual. "Cute outfit," she purred and left her position by the portal to circle the younger human as she ran a critical eye over his attire. He had chosen to be a monster hunter that night. He had found a large brown leather trench coat at a local thrift shop, as well as a brown wide brimmed hat that reminded him greatly of the one Portal Master Aeris usually wore. He had switched his favourite dark blue jeans with a tighter pair of black jeans that tapered in nicely to tuck neatly into his hiking boots which he had opted to keep for comfort's sake.  
Under his coat Taylor wore a simple black shirt with a high collar. It was an old shirt, one that he had found buried in the depths of his wardrobe. Moths had been at it at one point and had left small holes as evidence. Time and wear had also played a significant role in how the shirt had fared. Rips and tears appeared here and there but that only added to the costume. Two heavy leather belts crossed over his chest with an assortment of props he had deemed necessary for the costume. Fake knives, silver stakes and bullets decorated the belts while a small leather journal hung limply at his side bound the the belt holding his jeans up by a thin leather cord. Also hanging from functional belt were two guns in holsters and a small, coiled length of rope. Taylor had worked hard on his costume and was quite proud of it.  
"Thanks," Taylor muttered to the woman before him as he adjusted his glasses to sit better across his nose. "Uh, you too."

"Ooh, thank you," Sophia giggled. She gave a little twirl to show it off. She seemed quite proud of it although Taylor couldn't understand why. The costume was obviously a generic store bought thing designed for a different kind of party to the one he assumed was raging on above their heads. Sophia had dressed herself as a witch. A tight fitting, mid thigh length black dress with a small cape attached to the shoulders left nothing to the imagination. An oversized black hat and boots reaching up to just past her knees completed the look with a small, mabu sized broom in her hand.

Sophia propped a hand to her hip as she cocked it to the side. Suddenly all playfulness had abandoned her and she looked as bored as ever. "You'd better get on up there before the party ends." Taylor nodded. He couldn't blame her for her sudden switch, he imagined portal duty to be one of the duller jobs the permanent portal masters had to deal with. Now that the room had stopped spinning he would safely be able to navigate the tunnels and reach the surface. Not one to be told twice, the young portal master set out immediately towards the distant thump of music.

* * *

By the time the party had kicked into full swing Seraph had finally allowed herself to relax. The set up had been stressful but she had been rushed. Thankfully she had managed to find enough help though and everything had been ready by the time the invited portal masters and remaining skylanders had arrived. So far everything had gone smoothly. Everyone was well behaved and having fun. The food was vanishing almost as fast as it could be brought to the tables and Adam's themed cocktails and mocktails were a big hit. He had surprised her with just how many he could make. She had known that his life on Earth had seen him working as a barista but she had no idea that he had also done a bit of bar work on the side. He was now her go to guy for coffee and booze. It was awesome!

"I love Halloween," she giggled to Adam as she took another sip of her of her witch's brew cocktail. Already slightly tipsy, the portal master of Light had found her friend and dragged him to the dance floor where she had made a scene by refusing to do anything but shuffle stupidly and claim that was how real zombies did it. Her fellow senior portal master hadn't seemed to mind and had joined her in shuffling which in turn had encouraged others around them to join it. "Everyone's a zombie now! I win!"

Adam gave an amused chuckle but didn't argue. "Well done, you've turned us all!" He clapped stupidly as he shuffled his feet to sway in the best zombie dancing impression he could do. Seraph snorted at the sight of it and held her nose to stop the burning alcohol from escaping.  
"Made me snort my drink you asshole!" She spluttered with a half glare at her friend. He had dressed as a demon for the night, as requested by Prowess. He had gone all out for his costume with a pair of black robotic bat-like wings that opened and closed at random, a pair of large horns that curved up from the crown of his head and a tail with a spade shape on the end sticking out over the back of his pants that flicked randomly to match his wings. The Life portal master had even dyed his hair for the event, sacrificing his current favourite vivid teal for a black colour that gave off a red sheen in the light. Adam had also made use of white contacts that completely hid the features of his eyes and a set of small false fangs to give his smile a demon-like edge. Rather than going for the ratted, disheveled fresh out of hell look, Adam had instead decided to wear a black dress shirt altered on the back to make way for his wings, a pair of smart black slacks and a pair of pointed leather dress shoes. The blood red tie around his neck was the final touch to his costume and set everything else off wonderfully. "I'm the kind of demon you'd sell your soul to," he had said to her with a wink during the setup for the party.

Adam gave an evil chuckle as the song they had been dancing to ended and the next began. This is Halloween from The Nightmare Before Christmas blasted from the speakers with mixed reactions from the gathering. Of the human element, half groaned while the other half cheered. The skylanders were much less vocal with only a small few actually familiar with the song.

"THIS IS HALLOWEEN!" Pop Fizz hollered in time with the song from somewhere in the middle of the mass. He was joined by Flameslinger and Camo. Stealth Elf, who had joined Seraph and Adam towards the edge of the group rolled her eyes at the idiotic behaviour, the only indication that she had done so was the dramatic movement of her head.  
"This song," the skylander began, pausing briefly to listen. "Is from that film you played in the portal master lounge two days ago, correct?"  
"Yeah, good memory," Adam smirked and nudged her slightly with his elbow. "I knew you secretly enjoyed it. Can't fool me."

"You watched it without me?" Stealth groaned and placed her hands over her ears dramatically as she turned to glare at Seraph. The portal master had yelled and seemed to have no idea that she had done so. Adam huffed as she pushed him out of the way and collected another drink.  
"You fell asleep!" he countered sourly. "I told you earlier that day that I would be watching it in the lounge at three. You didn't answer your phone when I tried to call so yeah, I watched it without you. I checked on you after the movie and you were passed out on your couch. Not my fault that you're addicted to working."

"No I'm not!"

Jago laughed as he approached the group of three. Aeris was hot on his heels so he made sure to leave a gap for her to join them. "You so are!" Aeris giggled and made to grab a drink of her own. Her blonde hair had somehow become more tangled than it was at the start and her ears were slightly crooked on her head. "Every time I enter the office you're in there working away at your desk like a little book worm." All eyes turned to the shorter blonde woman but she seemed not to notice, or care, or both. Her attention was elsewhere and she was staring intently at someone in the mass.

"DEMON HUNTER!" She shouted suddenly as her eyes fell on Taylor as he brushed passed a few other portal masters dancing stupidly on his way to the refreshment table. She pointed to him with a stern expression and caused the poor man to hesitate and seemingly shrink into himself. She continued to glare before she giggled and threw an arm around Adam but continued to eye him carefully. It was immediately obvious that she had already exceeded her limit so Taylor gave her an awkward chuckle and offered her a quick wave before trying to shrink away from the attention she had brought to him and back into the crowd. Seraph watched him leave before throwing Adam a sorrowful pout. "He's gonna getcha Adam. I'll miss you!"  
"You are such a lightweight. Here," Adam offered her his glass of water while trying to coax the cocktail from her free hand. "You can have this back after you've had some water."

* * *

When Prowess finally located her friends she was not surprised by what she saw. Jago had a sour expression on his face as he watched Adam supporting Seraph's weight while the intoxicated woman clung to him with an arm around his waist and waved her free hand around trying to reach the glass held out just out of her reach. Sitting on a chair while everyone around her stood, Aeris was chatting animatedly with Lightning Rod, Stealth Elf and a timid looking Taylor about the things she had seen on her travels. The levitating storm titan had puffed his chest out and was flexing his muscles, his go to actions to prove a point. Although she had no idea what the conversation was about, Prowess was certain Rod was trying to out do Aeris by blowing his own horn. She had no desire to be a part of that particular conversation so she decided to stand between Adam and Jago quietly. Adam flinched immediately when his eyes met hers, causing her to smirk. He had done so every time he saw her that night and it was glorious. Notably, no Undead skylanders were among the gathered crowd at that moment, something Prowess found odd as this party was both in honour of them and to celebrate Halloween but she let it slide and grabbed a mocktail from the table beside her. Seraph whined when her glass was held even higher but soon lost interest as the music stopped and the fire light began to dim. An eerie quiet settled over the party as conversations halted and all eyes turned to the neglected wooden stage that had been hastily erected during the set up.  
The fog around their feet thickened and the light from the Core flickered as it too dimmed down before settling to cast a soft purple glow over the area.

"I love magic," Seraph giggled only to be shushed by Adam who was still supporting her weight and keeping her upright. She huffed but said nothing else as every Undead skylander present emerged onto the stage. Hex, floating front and centre, approached the edge of the stage and levitated silently for a moment as if gathering her thoughts before she began to chant, summoning a cluster of phantom orbs and manipulating them to orbit around her body. With her hauntingly calm voice Hex began her address to the crowd on behalf of all the gathered Undead, like casting a spell but without the consequences.

"Draw in closer my friends and listen well,  
For tonight is the night of haunting tales to tell.  
Of demons and spooks and monsters of hell,  
Of those who have passed and of those who still dwell.  
Take comfort in darkness and be not afraid,  
There is nothing to fear with respect duly paid.  
For tonight the undead celebrate freely, it's true.  
For tonight is the night we celebrate with you."

The Undead sorceress took a bow as a chorus of cheering erupted from all around her, even from the Undead behind her. She had originally refused to speak on their behalf but had been persuaded by a very persistent Seraph and Cynder. The dragoness stepped forward to address the crowd, to thank them for coming, for the enthusiasm they had displayed and the respect that had been shown to the most misunderstood element. She quickly demanded that the music be put back on and that the celebration continue. She was nervous will all eyes upon her but hid it behind a grin and a polite dip of her head before exiting the stage with her fellows to rejoin their friends for the rest of the party.

Finally managing to snatch her drink from Adam, Seraph groaned when her hand kept retracting with the clutched glass and the liquid within splashed all over her. Unable to decide what upset her more, the loss of the delicious mix or the cold, yucky feeling it left on her skin, the Light portal master supposed that maybe she had had enough and instead of reaching for another cocktail she chose to grab a cup of water.  
Adam passed her off to Jago after Hex and Cynder's addresses were complete and excused himself, probably to go to the bathroom. She had tried to go with him but had decided to stay when it occurred to her that she did not need to go. She contemplated pining for the loss of her drinking buddy but quickly forgot all about him as the song changed.

"YES!" She cried and untangled herself from Jago's supporting arm around her. She wobbled towards the designated dance area. As a zombie, Thriller was definitely her theme for the night Her cheer was joined by many others as several portal masters and skylanders made for the dance floor to honor the classic song with bad dancing.  
Seraph was surprised to see Prowess beside her. Not on the best of terms, especially considering Prow hated drinking and she was currently shitfaced, Seraph stared at her stupidly until the dark haired woman became annoyed and crossed her arms.  
"What?" She snapped with a biting tone to her voice.  
"Nothing," the shorter of the two spat back. "Just didn't think you'd come to dance with me."

"Yeah, well, Adam would kill me if anything happened to you while he was away."

* * *

It was nearly three in the morning by the time the party had wound down and everyone had decided to call it quits. Those that had drank too much had baled out earlier, followed closely by those who were simply too tired to continue. Of the large crowd that had been there for the party only a small handful remained. Clean up would have to wait until the sun had risen but the fifteen or so individuals that were left worked hard to at least pack up the drinks and put the food away before it spoiled. Taylor yawned and groaned in discomfort as his jaw cracked. He ran a tired hand through his dark curled hair before replacing his hat upon his head and continuing to wrap the tray of sandwiches with plastic. Beside him Jago was collecting cups to be taken to the kitchen for wash up. The permanent portal master looked surprisingly fresh as he worked in silence. His cheerful vibe had died not long after Seraph had vanished with Adam and Prowess but he had remained pleasant enough for Taylor to enjoy talking to him. Sophia had joined the party not long after Hex and Cynder's speeches and it hadn't taken the petite woman long to drink herself under the table. It had been decided to simply leave her there but Aeris had eventually given in to guilt and had woken her up to take her back to her cabin. The Earth portal master had returned to the party briefly only to vanish herself when most of the skylanders had decided to call it quits. The party had further shrunk when most of those remaining had decided to retreat to personal cabins to continue the fun with smaller, private parties leaving only a handful to clean up the mess.

"There's a nip in the air," Jago shivered as he hauled a large blue tub full of glasses and cups towards the kitchens. Taylor nodded, although he quickly began to grin. His coat was keeping him perfectly warm. He could feel the chill on his face and hands but it hardly bothered him. Jago on the other hand was wearing only a thin, torn shirt and a torn pair of pants. His costume may have looked cool but it wouldn't keep him warm now. "Gonna head home or spend the rest of the night here?"

Taylor yawned again and rubbed his jaw as it once again popped with the action. He wouldn't be able to stay awake for much longer. "I'll probably grab a bed in the dorm and catch a bit of sleep. I'll stay and help with the real clean up tomorrow. It's the least I can do after all the effort that went into planning this party."

"It was pretty rad," Jago snorted before he too yawned and nearly dropped his cargo. "Alright. I'm gonna dump these on the sink and turn in I think. Sleep well Taylor."

"Yeah, you too Jago. Happy Halloween."

"Happy Halloween man."

* * *

 _ **Happy late Halloween my dudes! I know this ios a few days late and I'm really sorry. Please forgive! I swear I have reasons!  
I just want to give a massive shout out and thank you to  
-Undead Prowess (Prowess/ Prow)  
-Seraph of Enigma (Seraph)  
-TaylorMan2274 (Taylor)  
Thank you so much for showing an interest in my project and offering me your portal masters to use for it! Thank you for your patience with me, for helping me and for shooting me ideas every time I get stuck. I couldn't be doing this without you guys.**_

 _ **I'd also like to give another massive shout out and thank you to my friends  
-Shay (Aeris)  
-Michelle (Jago)  
Thank you for all your support and for offering me Aeris and Jago to help me move this project along. I love you guys**_

 _ **Remember, if you're interested in joining us just send me a message and ask! I've had internet issues latey but I should be more active from here on out.  
**_

 _ **Adam**_


End file.
